fordyce



UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

JNO. roe-oven, or MORGANTOWN, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT m SEED-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo, 15,691, dated September 9, 1856.

I struction and operation of the same, reference being hadtotheaccompanyingdrawings,mak-

ing a part thereof, in which.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the hopper and its several connected parts, and showing the seeding-bar detached as well as in its place. Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section through the hopper, seed-bars,

and hinged bottom.

Similar letters of reference, where they occur in the separate figures, denote like parts of the machine.

To enable others skilled in the art to inake and use my invention, 1 will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A representsa hopper of any ordinary construction, the bottom B of which is hinged, as seen at a, Fig. 2, and may project beyond the side of the hopper, as seen at B, for the purpose of forming a guide-board over which the grain may run after it is brought from the hopper and be scattered broadcast.

O is a lever, connected to the bottom board, B, by means of which said bottom board is worked on its hinges a, though it may be operated by anyother equally well-known device, and said hinged bottom board may be united to the hopper by springs b, so as to close it after it has been moved away by the lever or other appliance.

A dovetailed piece or strip, D, is fitted longitudinally through the bottom'board, B, and this strip may be adj usted in the bottom board, and held, when adjusted, by means of the setscrew E, Fig. 2, passing through the lever O and into said strip or against it. The lever may be attached to the bottom piece, B, by screws 0 0, so that it can be readily removed to change the strip D when it becomes necessary to do so.

I On top of the strip D are placed aseries of diamond-shapedblocks, d d, &c., which are so arranged as to come opposite similarly-shaped openings 6 in a permanent bottom board, F, and over the diamond-shaped openings 6 in the permanent bottom board is arranged an adjustable strip,f, also provided with diamondshaped openingsiz', 860., this stripfbeing connected at one of its ends by a link, m, to a setscrew, n, and spring 0, so that by turning the said set-screw the openings in the stripf may be slid past those in the bottom F, and thus close or openthem atpleasure, to allow less or more-grain to pass, as may be required.

The blocks d d on the hinged hoard B, when said board is released or notoper'ated, entirely close the openings through F f; but when said hinged board is operated then there is a clear way for the grain to pass out.

To cause the grain to pass out of the hopper readil y, and more particularly oats, which will not freely run, I arrange in the blocks d d bows or fingers M, which, passing through the openings e 'i, extend up into the hopper, and being connected to the hinged board 18, when that board is operated the fingers r catch and draw the seeds from the hopper, and thus insure the regular passage of seedevery time the hinged boardis vibrated. Although these bows or fingers extend up through the openings 0 i, and these openings are slid past each other to close the area of said openings, yet said fingers do not interfere with such an adjustment.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with the hopper and its adjustable openings, the hinged board B and its blocks and fingers for regulating the discharge of the grain from said hopper and insuring regular feeding, substantially as set forth.

JOHN FORDYOE.

Witnesses:

Isaac Scorr, E. P. FI'roH. 

